Did Ya Know?...The Carthage
Crisis Center will have their Thanksgiving Day Family
Dinner from noon to 2 p.m. at their location at 100 S.
Main. Free - Everyone is welcome that needs a place to
celebrate.

A young gunslinger is boring everybody to death
with accounts of his exploits. Seeing that hes not
making friends and influencing people, he leaves. A
moment later, he returns and says, "Okay, whos
the clown that painted a red line along my horses
rear end?"

A gunslinger about 66" with
shoulders from wall to wall, says, "I did. Why are
you asking?"

The young gunslinger says, "I just
wanted to tell you the first coat is dry."

A man stepped on a scale in a train
station. A paper came out of the slot and said,

INTERESTING MELANGE. A Chronological Record of Events as they have
Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

Repairing West
Boulevard.

Street Commissioner Ennis of Carthage
and Road Commissioner Heck of the special road district
began work in conjunction yesterday in improving West
Boulevard. This is the street running along the west
corporation line of the city from the cemetery south to
the electric line. It is proposed to put it in good
shape, as it is a much used road, and had gotten in a
very bad condition the past winter.

New Rebekah Members.

The order of Rebekahs held an
interesting meeting at the lodge room last night. Four
new members were initiated. Mr. Copeland of
Massachusetts, was a visitor. A substantial lunch, gotten
up by the ladies of the order, was served. Miss Clara
White, the delegate elected to attend the general
assembly, resigned, as she could not attend, and Mrs.
Sarah Badgley was elected in her stead.

JOPLIN, Mo. policomo.com
Over the last four months, members of the
Citizens Advisory Recovery Team have reached out
at meetings and public events seeking direct
input from Joplin residents regarding what they
would like to see in the new Joplin.

On Monday evening, in the
Joplin City Councils packed chamber,
residents listened for details from the long
awaited report.

"Joplin will set the
standard for disaster recovery by demonstrating
to America its can-do attitude," the
councils report says.

The committee, which came
together after a suggestion by federal emergency
officials, created four sub-committees focused on
various puzzle-pieces for long term recovery.

The group focused on housing
found an increasing need for affordable,
multi-family housing. To address this need, they
suggested creating pilot neighborhoods, dense
population clusters focused around a park, and
connected by sidewalks.

The group focused on education
suggested using schools as neighborhood anchors,
allowing them to be opened for community events
and as storm shelters. They suggested the schools
set up community gardens and that the city look
into pocket parks and expansion of the
citys walking trails.

The group focused on the
environment and infrastructure found a growing
demand for pedestrian-focused infrastructure,
allowing cars, bikers, runners, and walkers to
coexist. The group also suggested the city
consider curbside recycling, and underground
wiring to help clean-up the view, all funded by a
private-public partnership.

The group focused on economic
development suggested reevaluating zoning to
create a business corridor with anchor projects
to attract employers, and suggested workforce
development to improve the employee base.

"The tornado changed our
community and we didnt have a choice,"
said Jane Cage, CARTs chair. "We have
the opportunity to be the ones that change our
community for the better."

The City Council voted
unanimously to recognize the committees
suggestions, and said they will be taking steps
shortly to implement some of the suggestions.

"It was an interesting
list of projects. I think it is important that we
try to move forward as expeditiously as possible
but not so fast that we make poor
decisions," said Joplin Mayor Mike Woolston.
"I think it is important we get the
information out as soon as possible."

On past trips through
Nevada (the state) Ive wondered why
someone would want to live out in the middle
of the desert, isolated by miles of sand. No
services such as sewer, water or street
maintenance. As odd as it may seem to those
of us who choose to live in a community,
those who live in the desert like it that
way.

Im thinkin it
comes more from the fact that they enjoy not
havin to answer to anyone. They may be
responsible folks, but they dont have
to be responsible to any other person. If
they live in a fire trap, attract rats, or
raise pigs, only they have ta live with it.

Livin in a community
brings the obligation for some responsibility
to the health and welfare of the community.
Folks tend ta locate in communities that
match their level of that responsibility.

Q: Ive heard mixed
information about using linseed oil to preserve
tools over the winter. Do you place it on the
cutting blades of garden tools, or only on the
handles? Is there an alternative protectant for
garden and work tools? -- John F., Providence,
R.I.

A: Linseed oil isnt a
good protectant for the metal parts of tools. The
reason is that it creates a somewhat gummy,
sticky coat that may be hard to clean off come
springtime. It often is used to coat and protect
wooden handles, but like most preservative
products, linseed oil has its benefits and its
drawbacks.

First, many people dont
know that there are two kinds of linseed oil
available: raw and boiled. Raw linseed oil is
extracted directly from flax seeds, with no
additives of any kind. Its straight-up
linseed oil and nothing else. The raw oil dries
extremely slowly, over several weeks, and so it
develops a kind of gummy or sticky texture that
you may not want to experience when picking up a
hammer.

Boiled linseed oil is not
actually boiled. It has several ingredients added
that quicken drying time and prevent mildew from
setting in. If you want to coat wooden tool
handles with linseed oil to preserve them, this
is the product to use.

The website NaturalHandyman.com
has a pretty detailed article available on
various uses for raw and boiled linseed oil.

A note of caution when using
linseed oil: After use, wash any rags that are
soaked with the oil in soap and water
immediately, or store the rags in a pail of water
that is covered. Linseed oil tends to heat up as
it dries (through a process called oxidation),
and while that isnt a problem for a tool
handle with a light coat of boiled oil on it, it
can be a problem if a pile of oil-soaked rags are
sitting in a corner of your garage drying out.
For the same reason, youll also want to
air-dry the washed-out rags rather than placing
them in the clothes dryer. Spontaneous combustion
is only fun in science class.

Before you get completely
turned off toward linseed oil, keep in mind that
safety is a priority when working with any type
of solvent or chemical, and review the warnings
on the back of all the products you use.